A14216:471
The Sum of Christian Religion
The sum of Christian religion: delivered by Zacharias Ursinus in his lectures upon the Catechism authorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment, which have been or are controversed in divinity. Translated into English by Henry Parry, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supply of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of divinity, and with correction of sundry faults & imperfections, which are [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latin.The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.
Oxford: printed by Joseph Barnes, 1587Oxford: printed by Ioseph Barnes, 1587
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4 Objection. That which cannot be avoided is not sin. 1The unregenerate cannot avoid sin. Therefore their works are not to be accounted sins. Answer. We deny the Major. For it is enough to make it sin, if it be voluntary. And how much the more necessarily men sin, with so much the greater will they sin. They cannot therefore pretend necessity to cloak their fault. This doth the example of the Devil prove, who sinneth so much the more grievously how much the more necessarily he sinneth, wittingly and willingly striving against God, and contumeliously despiting him. But they do vainly and wickedly cavil, That the justice of God doth not impute those sins to the Devil, which he necessarily doth commit after his corruption: Likewise, That the Devil is now finally and without hope of pardon cast away of god, but men have power yet in this life either to persist in sin, or to forsake it, and therefore those actions only of theirs are sins, in which sin cannot be avoided. For God is wrath with all sins of men & Devils, and punisheth all sins with eternal pains, or with equivalent punishment unto eternal. Neither doth therefore necessary and inevitable or unavoidable sin cease to be sin, for that there is or is not hope of obtaining recovery and pardon. For whatsoever is committed against the law of God, that is sin, whether it can be avoided, or not avoided, whether he who sinneth forsaketh his sin, or persisteth in it.
4 Obiection. That which cannot bee auoided is not sinne. 1The vnregenerate cannot auoid sinne. Therefore their woorks are not to be accounted sinnes. Aunswere. Wee deny the Maior. For it is enough to make it sinne, if it bee voluntary. And how much the more necessarily men sinne, with so much the greater wil they sinne. They cannot therefore pretend necessity to cloake their fault. This doth the example of the Diuel proue, who sinneth so much the more grieuously how much the more necessarily he sinneth, wittingly and willingly striuing against God, and contumeliously despiting him. But they doe vainly and wickedly cauil, That the iustice of God doth not impute those sinnes to the Diuel, which he necessarily doth commit after his corruption: Likewise, That the Diuel is now finally and without hope of pardon cast away of god, but men haue power yet in this life either to persist in sinne, or to forsake it, and therefore those actions onely of theirs are sinnes, in which sinne cannot be auoided. For God is wrath with all sins of men & Diuels, and punisheth all sinnes with eternall paines, or with equiualent punishment vnto eternal. Neither doth therefore necessary and ineuitable or vnauoidable sinne cease to be sinne, for that there is or is not hope of obtaining recouery and pardon. For whatsoeuer is committed against the law of God, that is sinne, whether it can be auoided, or not auoided, whether he who sinneth forsaketh his sin, or persisteth in it.